


The Best Laid Plans of Doctor Joly

by icandrawamoth



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birthday, Doctor Joly, Doctor Who References, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gift Giving, Hospitals, Married Couple, Sensuality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 03:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3835066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Work interferes with Joly's birthday plans for Éponine, but everything works out in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Laid Plans of Doctor Joly

All throughout the day as Joly has made his rounds through the hospital, he’d kept his eyes on the clock. It was Éponine’s birthday today, and he was going to leave straightaway when his shift ended, treat her to fancy dinner out, give her the gift he’d had custom made months ago that he knew she was going to love, and see where things went from there.

Combeferre laughed lightly at him the two hundredth time he craned his head to look up at the time (only ten minutes to go!), joked that he was going to strain his neck, and was in the middle of asking him what his plans were when the desk phone rang. The secretary picked it up and asked a few terse questions before putting it down and shouting, “There’s been a pile-up on the freeway, injuries inbound, two ambulances, six patients, prep ORs!”

Combeferre already had an apologetic look on his face as he shot off, dragging Joly with him. “We’re going to need all hands for this; apologize to Éponine for me later.” Joly internally groaned – he had been so close! – but this was his job, he was here to help people, and he knew his wife would understand.

The emergency room resounded with the sounds of pagers going off as doctors and nurses scurried back and forth, some going to prepare the operating rooms as Joly and Combeferre waited with another group in the receiving bay. Minutes later, the ambulances came screaming in, and Joly went into focus mode, dropping every other thought but what was happening in front of him with this patient at this moment.

He ended up working with another doctor on a woman who was bleeding internally in a location hard to decipher. When she’d finally been stabilized, he was on without pause to join Combeferre and his team in setting the badly fractured arm and leg of another man. He barely had enough time to shoot off a quick text to Éponine ( _last minute emergency, be there asap_ ) before the next person was calling for his help.

Hours had passed before all six patients were stabilized. Combeferre and Joly shared a tired but victorious smile. They had done it; all had survived and would recover.

“Head home,” Combeferre told him, clapping him on the shoulder. “We did well. I’m sure Éponine will understand.”

Joly nodded, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he looked once again at the clock. Nearly eleven. They had missed their reservation by hours, and his wife might very well be asleep by now. Of course she wouldn’t be angry, but that didn’t change the fact that he was disappointed in not being able to make the day special for her.

He headed for the parking lot, making a pit stop in the cafeteria first. It had been closed for awhile now, but he could see a light on still, and one of the staff members there owed him a favor.

It was almost eleven-thirty when he finally made it into their driveway. The lights were off except for the dimness coming from the bedroom window. Éponine was likely reading as she waited up for him, or had fallen asleep doing so.

He tried to let himself in as quietly as possible, but she met him in the hall, a sleepy smile on her face. “Hey. How was work?”

“Busy,” he answered apologetically. “There was this big accident right before I left, and all these patients came in, and I couldn’t get away. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She leaned in to kiss him. “How did it go?” She always worried when Joly had an ER shift; she had comforted him on more than one occasion after a bad night.

“Well. No casualties, from them or the rest of the day.” He smiled.

“That’s excellent, Joly.” She kissed him again and grinned, gesturing at what he held in his hand. “I assume that’s for me?”

He held it out – a single gingerbread flavored cupcake, mounded with cream cheese frosting, and topped with a single glowing candle he’d lit before he came inside. “Yep. Happy birthday, love.”

“Thank you, my dear.” She took it, smiling sweetly at him, her face warmed by the flame before she blew it out and took a big bite. “Delicious,” she pronounced through the mouthful, and Joly grinned.

The two of them went back to the bedroom, and as Joly undressed, she told him about her day at the office. “So,” he asked teasingly when he was in his pajamas, turning to her. “It’s pretty late. Do you want your present now or in the morning?”

“Hmm, let me think…” She made a show of it, putting fingers to her chin and looking off into the distance. “Now, please!”

He laughed, fetching the box from the closet and setting it on the bed. It was the size of a small microwave, decorated with Doctor Who themed wrapping paper and a big yellow bow.

Éponine pulled it toward her. “It’s big; you better now have spent too much on me!”

Joly waved off the comment, gesturing for her to open it.

She gave him a last look before pulling the bow off and tearing at the paper – letting out a delighted shriek when she got off enough to see what was inside. “You didn’t!”

“I did! Combeferre helped me find a place that would do it.” He couldn’t stop grinning, seeing how much she obviously liked it.

Éponine batted away the rest of the paper, revealing what was inside – a custom Easy-Bake Oven, the outside of the toy appliance designed to look like the TARDIS.

“You said always wanted one when you were little and never got one, and I know how much you love the show, so I thought…” Joly waved his hand.

Éponine pounced, pushing the gift aside and knocking Joly back on the bed, straddling his waist and kissing him senseless. “I _love _it,” she murmured against his lips. “Very thoughtful of you.” She sat up but didn’t move, grinning down at him. “Tomorrow I’m making dinner.”__

__Joly raised an eyebrow. “With an Easy-Bake Oven?”_ _

__“You’d be surprised the kind of recipes people on the Internet can come up with,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’ve wanted it since I was a kid, after all; I’ve had time to do some research.”_ _

__“I can’t wait.” Joly put on a brave face; the thought of eating actual food from the toy made him a little nervous, but he would do anything for her._ _

__“No, you can’t.” She gave him another peck before hopping off him and moving the wrapping paper to the garbage, the gift to the dresser. She sashayed back toward the bed, batting her eyelashes at him._ _

__“For now,” she purred as she clicked off the lamp, “there’s something else I want for my birthday.”_ _


End file.
